Battles lines drawn for new congressional district lines

DEANNA SHEFFIELD

Published 7:00 pm, Monday, June 30, 2003

The heat was turned up yesterday in the battle to draw new congressional district lines, but Democrats say they won't back down.

Monday marked the first day of a special session called by Gov. Rick Perry to push redistricting, the first such session called since 1992. The added session gives lawmakers an additional 30 days to redraw congressional districts, a hot topic that stalled when House Democrats broke quorum by fleeing to Ardmore, Okla., for a week, killing redistricting and hundreds of other bills.

Lawmakers adjoined on June 2.

Shortly before the session convened yesterday, more than 20 Democrats denounced the effort to redistrict, calling the move a "power grab" by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

State Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, said it is expected that the bill will be released Thursday, and debate will begin on Monday. Conference committees met to discuss the legislation yesterday.

"The reason they're ramming it through so fast is that if they don't, it will impose on people's vacations. The issue is now more of a time issue," Noriega said. "A lot of House members are going to San Francisco for a conference - the National Council of State Legislators - it's basically just a boondoggle."

More than 100 lawmakers plan to attend the July 21-26 conference. Noriega noted that Perry also has plans to head to Europe for the Tour de' France in which he plans to meet Lance Armstrong during the second week of July, shortly before heading on an African safari with his wife.

"I'm a fan of Lance, but not at the expense of the taxpayers," said State Rep. Joe Moreno, D-Houston. "It's a shame we have to put work off so folks can go on vacation."

Moreno said he had planned to attend the conference, but said he would rather stay in Austin and iron out redistricting if need be.

Democrats have not ruled out a repeat quorum-busting walkout to thwart redistricting. "Anything's possible," Moreno noted.

Democrats have said they feel confident that once redistricting reaches the Senate, Democratic senators will stave off the legislation.

"I feel optimistic," Noriega said. "We've got 12 Democratic senators that I don't think will get run over or sell out for 30 pieces of silver."

Noriega also criticized the recent public hearings held across the state, which have allowed local residents to voice their opinion on the issue, calling them both "illegal" and "bogus." The meetings have not met the criteria of the Voting Rights Act, he charged, because the comments have not been heard by a full committee and because everyone arriving at the hearings was not heard.

If redistricting is approved, the 25th Congressional District will move to the Rio Grande, completely out of Harris County. U.S. Rep. Chris Bell, D-Houston, who represents the district, has criticized DeLay and House Speaker Tom Craddick's push to redistrict, calling the move "divisive" and "damaging" to taxpayers.

Bell said the massive reorganization will "dilute Harris County's clout at state and national levels."

If District 25 were pushed out of the area, Pasadena would be represented only by U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, and DeLay, a Sugar Land Republican who already represents sections of Pasadena. U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Beaumont, who represents a small section of Pasadena, would also be edged out.

Current congressional district lines were drawn by the courts in 2001 after lawmakers failed to do so. Republicans have argued the lines should be redrawn by elected representatives, not appointed judges.

DeLay said redistricting will give Texans "representation that reflects their values and beliefs." About 56 percent of Texas voters cast votes for GOP candidates last fall, but the state sends more Democrats than Republicans to Congress, he noted.

"We're trying to change that," DeLay said.

Democrats currently hold 17 seats; Republicans hold 15. The new map could allow Republicans to gain an additional three to six seats.